


A Friend In Need

by infectedscrew



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Minor Angst, Pick me up, Tim tries to help Bart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 07:27:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6793873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infectedscrew/pseuds/infectedscrew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes a special kind of person to cheer up a speedster. Hopefully, Tim Drake is that person.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Friend In Need

“Tim? Can I come over?”

Tim sat up with a slight noise of discomfort. Getting sleep was a rare occasion. Getting a phone call from a distressed speedster was even more so. He clutched the phone a little tighter and stared at the door, as if Bart Allen was going to appear at any second. Given the kid’s track record, that wasn’t impossible.

“Of course, Bart,” he answered briskly. “Just let me know when–”

There was a knock on his window.

With a sigh, Tim set the phone down. Bart had, most likely, left Key Stone before Tim had even answered. Leaving the comfort of his bed, Tim stepped over to the window and hauled it open. Bart was through the small space and on the bed in seconds.

It was the first time in his life that Tim had ever seen Bart calm. Well, not calm, per say but, certainly not hyper active. After all, the speedster was still bouncing a leg and his eyes darted every where.

“How did you know where I lived?” Tim asked, dropping onto the bed next to him.

“Conner told me,” Bart answered. He looked away from the Goo Goo Dolls band poster Tim had had since he was twelve. His gold eyes looked troubled, it was a little disconcerting. What he said next almost blew Tim to New York. “Tim, do you think I’m annoying?”

Tim blinked. He thought a lot of things about Bart. Annoying had, at one point, crossed his mind. Of course, it was impossible not to. Bart was a lot to talk in. He was loud, impulsive and one of the most immature people to grace the planet Earth. Still, Tim never hated him for it. If anything, Bart was a breath of fresh air compared to stress of Gotham.

“When we were in Young Justice together, yes,” he answered truthfully.

It didn’t seem to be the right answer. Bart’s shoulder’s slumped and he looked at his beaten up tennis shoes, hoping they would give him a puppy.

“Oh,” he said after a moment. “Okay. Well… Thanks for letting me know,” he started, getting up.

Tim dropped a hand onto his arm. “Now wait a minute. Sit back down.” He tightened his hand slightly and Bart dropped back to the bed. “That was a long time ago. I don’t think that all now.” He paused, biting at his lower lip. He had never been good at the whole ‘cheer up’ thing. That was Dick’s job. He had to try, however. This was one of his best friends he was talking to.

“Who told you that you were annoying?”

Bart was quiet a moment before he answered. “Wally.”

Tim snorted. “That’s just Wally. He’s a jerk to everyone who isn’t Dick,” he replied, looking for all the world like a genius. Which, he sort of was.

“Yea, but, he’s The Flash and… I’m supposed to be his side kick. Or whatever. How can I be his side kick if he doesn’t even like me?”

Seriously, it was starting to hurt how pathetic Bart looked right now. Tim squeezed Bart’s arm and, yet, he couldn’t think of anything to say. Finally, he settled back on the truth.

“You know, Batman didn’t always like me,” he admitted.

Bart’s head jerked up. “Really?”

Tim nodded. “Really, really. He thought I was just an annoying neighbor kid who had gotten himself into something he shouldn’t have. Now that I think about it… He might be right.” A slight smile graced Tim’s features. “But you know… If I hadn’t been just a little annoying, I never would have been apart of Young Justice. And I would have never met you or Conner.”

The brilliance of Bart’s smile was enough to light Tim’s room. “So, you’re happy you met me? I mean… I don’t piss you off?”

Tim laughed softly. There were three people on the face of the planet who could make him laugh and Bart was lucky enough to be one of them. “You don’t piss me off. It’s Conner you’ve got to worry about. Here.” He stood up off of the bed and moved toward his closet. “Let me show you something.”

Taking a few moments, Tim dug around until he could find one of his secret compartments. A pass-code only Oracle could break through, was typed into a small box and a second later, he had a small picture frame lifted out.

“Look.”

Hesitantly, reverently, Bart took the frame. In side was a small, simple picture of Robin, Superboy and Impulse looking toward the camera. The picture had been taken after their first major mission. Wonder Girl had been so over joyed that she had pulled a camera out of no where and started to snap pictures. She managed, just barely, to get a split second of Robin’s smile and Superboy and Impulse not goofing off.

It had been one of the brightest moments in Tim’s life and he was sure that no matter what happened, no matter how old he got, this picture would be with him.

“You’re not annoying, Bart. You’re just… Hyper,” he said, smiling at the teen on his bed. “And you’re one of the most important people in my life.” He took the photo back. “Forget about Wally. You’ve always got me and Conner, when he’s not ogling all the girls in Smallville.”

Bart laughed, his own much louder, fuller and happier than Tim’s. He launched off of the bed and wrapped his arms around the Gothamite. “Thanks, Tim! That’s exactly what I needed. You should write self-help books.”

There was a pause as they both thought about that, then each broke off into giggles. For the rest of the night, Bart and Tim swapped memories of Young Justice, early moments in Teen Titans and just being side kicks to some of America’s greatest heroes. It wasn’t until Tim’s alarm blared for school that Kid Flash returned to Key Stone. Just before he left, they promised to meet up in Smallville for a day with Conner. After all, they were only teenagers once, why not live it up with their best friends while they still had the chance.


End file.
